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The Woman in the White Kimono: A Novel Hardcover – May 28, 2019

by Ana Johns (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 15,141 ratings
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Oceans and decades apart, two women are inextricably bound by the secrets between them.

Japan, 1957. Seventeen-year-old Naoko Nakamura’s prearranged marriage to the son of her father’s business associate would secure her family’s status in their traditional Japanese community, but Naoko has fallen for another man—an American sailor, a gaijin—and to marry him would bring great shame upon her entire family. When it’s learned Naoko carries the sailor’s child, she’s cast out in disgrace and forced to make unimaginable choices with consequences that will ripple across generations.

America, present day. Tori Kovac, caring for her dying father, finds a letter containing a shocking revelation—one that calls into question everything she understood about him, her family and herself. Setting out to learn the truth behind the letter, Tori’s journey leads her halfway around the world to a remote seaside village in Japan, where she must confront the demons of the past to pave a way for redemption.

In breathtaking prose and inspired by true stories from a devastating and little-known era in Japanese and American history, The Woman in the White Kimono illuminates a searing portrait of one woman torn between her culture and her heart, and another woman on a journey to discover the true meaning of home.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    352 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Park Row
  4. Publication date
    May 28, 2019
  5. Dimensions
    6.28 x 1.18 x 9.3 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0778308146
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0778308140
  8. See all details
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  1. A life with love is happy. A life for love is foolish. A life of if only is unbearable. In my seventy-eight years, I have had all three.
    Highlighted by 193 Kindle readers
  2. In the struggle of stone and water, water eventually wins. Since my family’s mind is set like stone, I must persist like water to change it.
    Highlighted by 155 Kindle readers
  3. Never walk and eat. Sit to show respect for the time and sacrifice it took to plant, harvest and prepare.
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From the Publisher

woman in the white kimono ana johns japan historical fiction timeslip world war 2 ii ww

woman in the white kimono ana johns japan historical fiction timeslip world war 2 ii ww

woman in the white kimono ana johns japan historical fiction timeslip world war 2 ii ww

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Woman in the White Kimono is an elegant testament to the tenacity of hope, even when the bindings of cultural and familial expectations are drawn so tight. I look forward to reading more from this talented author." —Kelli Estes, bestselling author of The Girl Who Wrote in Silk

"The Woman in the White Kimono is a powerful and heartbreaking literary novel; a lush and masterful exploration of the indomitability of the human spirit set against the backdrop of post-World War II Japan. Johns's exquisite and emotionally satisfying tale spans a cultural divide to marry a mother's courageous determination to protect her daughter at any cost with a daughter's quest for truth. I loved this book!" —Karen Dionne, bestselling author of The Marsh King's Daughter

“Cinematic, deeply moving, and beautifully written. I so enjoyed this.” —Carol Mason, bestselling author of After You Left

"A well-researched piece of historical fiction, loosely inspired by the military experience of the author's father, that shines a light on a dark chapter of Japanese history that will be unfamiliar to many readers." —Booklist

About the Author

ANA JOHNS worked over twenty years in the creative arts field, as both a creative director and business owner, before turning her hand to fiction. Born and raised in metro Detroit, she now resides in Indianapolis with her family. The Woman in the White Kimono is her first novel.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Park Row; Original edition (May 28, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0778308146
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0778308140
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.28 x 1.18 x 9.3 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 15,141 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Ana Johns

Ana Johns

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Ana Johns is an award winning, international bestselling American novelist. Her first historical fiction, THE WOMAN IN THE WHITE KIMONO, published with critical acclaim in over 24 languages, has been a No.1 bestseller around the world, a BBC RADIO2 Book Club pick, Salt Lake County Library Reader's Choice winner, and a Reading Agency World Book Night 2023 selection.

https://www.anajohns.com/

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
15,141 global ratings
Bravo to author Ana Johns!
5 Stars
Bravo to author Ana Johns!
Before reading THE WOMAN IN THE WHITE KIMONO, I'd never heard of the plight of Japanese women who married American soldiers, but Naoko's evocative and tragic experience exemplified many of the culturally-born horrors of the time. This historical/contemporary novel will work its way into your heart and will never let you go.Bravo to author Ana Johns!
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Top reviews from the United States

akaladybug
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on the tragedy that can come with cross-cultural war marriages
Reviewed in the United States on February 29, 2024
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Great read from start to finish (especially if you read the author's comments in the back first). So so sad that so many mixed-race babies in Japan were killed rather than being accepted by the Japanese and equally horrendous that the US didn't allow our military personnel to bring their Japanese spouses (and babies) home with them. So well written and presents both countries point-of-view.
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David M. Ligerman
4.0 out of 5 stars Well-written and Powerful
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2020
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On the positive side, this is an excellent first novel by author Ana Johns. It is the kind of novel that you want to stay up and keep reading to find out what happens next. The story definitely holds your interest. As I am a frequent traveler to Japan, with a strong interest in Japanese literature, culture and history, I thought she did well in generally describing Japanese culture.

On the negative side, I thought some of the episodes were unrealistic, but after all, this is a novel, so that can be expected, just like in Hollywood. My major criticism is that it became political, describing tragic events that
took place over 70 years ago, which were cruel but certainly not mainstream. I felt that the book paints the Japanese with an undeserved broad brush for the acts of a very few evildoers many years ago. We Americans certainly aren't perfect, as recent events have highlighted.

That said, if you want very serious reading that is generally well-written , I do recommend this book.
10 people found this helpful
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Carol Lieto
5.0 out of 5 stars Lyrical language and Poignant historical fiction
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2021
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I just finished this novel, and it will stay with me for a very long time. There are so many periods of history we never think about or encounter. There are so many stories to be told. I could not stop listening to this book, and I wished I had been reading it instead of listening to it. There are so many lyrical passages in the very sad story of the two main characters. There are parts of the story I need to research, and that is always (for me) the sign of a wonderful book pointing me in a direction. My only criticism is that we learn so little about Tory, the daughter. I wanted to know more about her. I hope if you read this book, you will find it as powerful as I did. We all read through our own lenses, of course, so not everyone will love this book as much as I did. I think the author did a fabulous job of including eastern spiritual values. I will be recommending this book to friends!
3 people found this helpful
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MeiMom
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, showing that sadly things never change
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2021
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This is the story of a young Japanese woman who falls in love with an American sailor in the late 1950's. Her family is pressuring her to marry a Japanese boy from a good family, but she and her sailor are quite committed. And she becomes pregnant.

Everything about this is sad. Japan has less tolerance for mixing races than any other country, even now, but at this time neither country would help them become legally married or help the bride to emigrate. It turns out there were thousands of women in the same position, just as in Vietnam, and it is the children who suffer.

The book tells the story of the Japanese girl simultaneously telling the story of an American journalist who, upon the death of her father, learns he may have had a Japanese wife and daughter that he abandoned in Japan. The rest of the book weaves those two stories together.

And breaks your heart.
11 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Very good, sad book
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2022
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I really enjoyed the cultural aspect of this book, the details and history of Japanese culture and the American history that coincided. It's sad and about babies and mothers that didn't deserve such treatment and ostracism. And, it is shocking that it was allowed to happen and allowed to continue for so long. It was also a love story that lasted a lifetime for Naomi and Hajime and their Little Birds💗
2 people found this helpful
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Odilia de Puig
5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful histórica fiction novel
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2023
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Beautiful story, well researched, well developed about love between two persons from different cultures during tough times for both of them.
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erchen
3.0 out of 5 stars Better Later
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2021
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The first part of the book describes a daughter's caretaking of her "Pops" who has cancer. The segment is quite graphic and detailed, and goes on and on, showing only a slight relevance to the eventual story. To me the whole section is gratuitous, could have been omitted, unless someone enjoys reading details about an old man's dying of cancer. The necessary information, revealing a mysterious letter and a few photos, could have been given in a couple of paragraphs, or pages if to be lengthy. When the actual story starts to develop, it pulled me in. I don't know about the accuracy of Japanese or of the cultural background., but the development of the relationships of the Japanese woman, her American military lover, the culture, and the man's daughter kept me engrossed, so ultimately the book was worth reading.
3 people found this helpful
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Cheryl Kaye
5.0 out of 5 stars Before this life, I have lived another
Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2023
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Tragic truths shared by the author are many. This story shines bright light in multiple directions without blame or forced resolution. Fiction and nonfiction historical events share the pages of this beautifully written heartfelt journey crossing years, oceans and memories.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Ruth Kinsella
5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful, beautiful story!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 7, 2024
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Such an engaging and beautifully written book, I had no idea about this sad and difficult part of the history between Japan and America, I feel that there is such respect in the way the story has been told and it is one of those books that I will keep and read again which is a rare and special thing.
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Linda Pfeiffer
5.0 out of 5 stars Deeply poignant and truly unforgettable
Reviewed in Canada on June 10, 2021
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In post war Japan during the American Occupation, a seventeen year old girl from a wealthy Japanese family meets an American sailor and falls in love. But her traditional family and in particular her authoritative father have other plans for her to marry a young man of their choosing. The American is unacceptable, and children of mix race are also not welcome in Japan.
I do not wish to ruin any part of the masterful plot of this beautifully written book. I was riveted to this story from start to finish. I could not put the book down for very long as I needed to know what would happen to each of the characters. I was not disappointed and my guess is that you won't be either. Madame Butterfly, crossed my mind more than once but the plot is totally different.
2 people found this helpful
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Gail Price
4.0 out of 5 stars Sad, but relevent
Reviewed in Australia on September 18, 2020
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A very relevant story about the hell of war & racial discrimination, as well as a wonderful insight into Japanese culture.
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MM Reviewer
4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and expertly written. Highly recommended
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 16, 2021
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The Woman in the White Kimono, is a work of fiction based in 2 decades, the present day and Japan 1957. However, it draws its inspiration from the authors fathers own experience having met and fallen in love with a Japanese girl while he was enlisted in the US navy and the many Japanese women, exiled in their own country or discriminated against in the US. That is for the small number that managed to overcome the strict immigration laws in the US.
Ana Johns tells their story through two women, Tori Kova, the daughter of Hajmine who is dying when the story begins and Naoka Nakamura who knew the boy that became the man.

Naoka is destined to fulfil her father’s wishes and enter a prearranged marriage to Satoshi, son of a wealthy business contact of Naoka’s father. However, the daughter’s heart has been stolen by another, Hajime and soon finds herself, like many before her, pregnant with his child. Naoka’s father has strict rules and refuses to acknowledge the daughters wishes and despite her cunning plans to make her father see sense he remains rigid and unrelenting. For the other family members, the advice comes through some elegant quotes

“You must choose your love and love your choice”
“To know your direction you must know both your roots and your reach”

This is a heartfelt story because it happened to so many Japanese women who suffered from the ingrained prejudices in the US and in Japan. Over 10,000 children were born to US service men, and many were surrendered to an orphanage in Oiso for mixed race children. Never to be accepted in either society.

The story is familiar to many readers, but Ana Johns wrote this story with such passion. I loved the story, it was sad but uplifting, and it felt real with some simple but powerful messages and quotes throughout, which made this book very special. A great read and a pleasant change for those of us who like Crime / Thrillers and a perfect choice for those of us who also like historical fiction
2 people found this helpful
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Meenakshi
4.0 out of 5 stars Love and mystery
Reviewed in India on July 6, 2021
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I liked the wise Naoko of middle age and the childlike Naoko of 1950s . Two stories merge into each other by the middle of the read and mystery of what happened to Naoko and her daughter keeps you glued.
One person found this helpful
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